Huell Howser Obituary

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Huell Howser, the homespun host of public television's popular "California's Gold" travelogues, has died at age 67.

Howser died at his home Sunday night from natural causes, said Ayn Allen, corporate communications manager for KCET. No other details were available.

For years, "California's Gold" took viewers to many parts of the Golden State, with Howser doing folksy, highly enthusiastic interviews and narration in a distinctive twang he brought with him from his native Tennessee.

Howser also appeared in such other series about California as "Visiting with Huell Howser" and "Road Trip with Huell Howser."

"Huell elevated the simple joys and undiscovered nuggets of living in our great state," a KCET statement said. "He made the magnificence and power of nature seem accessible by bringing it into our living rooms. Most importantly, he reminded us to find the magic and wonderment in our lives every day. Huell was able to brilliantly capture the wonder in obscurity. From pastrami sandwiches and artwork woven from lint to the exoticism of cactus gardens and the splendor of Yosemite - he brought us the magic, the humor and poignancy of our region."

Howser received a bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee and began his TV career at WSM-TV in Nashville, according to the Huell Howser Productions website. He hosted a magazine-style series at WCBS-TV in New York City and then went to Los Angeles in 1981 to work as a reporter for KCBS-TV.

In 1987, he moved to KCET to produce a program called "Videolog," the predecessor to "California's Gold."

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Huell Howser, the homespun host of public television's popular "California's Gold" travelogues, has died at age 67.

Howser died at his home Sunday night from natural causes, said Ayn Allen, corporate communications manager for KCET. No other details were available.

For years, "California's Gold" took viewers to many parts of the Golden State, with Howser doing folksy, highly enthusiastic interviews and narration in a distinctive twang he brought with him from his native Tennessee.

Howser also appeared in such other series about California as "Visiting with Huell Howser" and "Road Trip with Huell Howser."

"Huell elevated the simple joys and undiscovered nuggets of living in our great state," a KCET statement said. "He made the magnificence and power of nature seem accessible by bringing it into our living rooms. Most importantly, he reminded us to find the magic and wonderment in our lives every day. Huell was able to brilliantly capture the wonder in obscurity. From pastrami sandwiches and artwork woven from lint to the exoticism of cactus gardens and the splendor of Yosemite - he brought us the magic, the humor and poignancy of our region."

Howser received a bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee and began his TV career at WSM-TV in Nashville, according to the Huell Howser Productions website. He hosted a magazine-style series at WCBS-TV in New York City and then went to Los Angeles in 1981 to work as a reporter for KCBS-TV.

In 1987, he moved to KCET to produce a program called "Videolog," the predecessor to "California's Gold."

Guest Book Highlights

"We all will miss your smile and laughter . You enjoyed so much talking with the people you interviewed. Heaven was waiting for you."- Bren Cantrell (Nashville, TN)

"We watched the California Railway Museum and golden spike episodes in Sacramento tonight and I found myself crying. He'll was really an amazing part of California's gold. He loved life and people and brought his love of history and strangeness,..."- Andree Laval (Sacramento, CA)

"My mom &I made thursday nights our "California Gold" night once we discovered it. It was so neat to learn things a out our state history that we never knew &couldn't in a book, as well as learn to value the unexpected side trips and surprises that..."- Veronica McClure (Marysville, CA)

" THIS WAS A GREAT MAN. TAUGHT ME MORE ABOUT CALIFORNIA THEN ANY SCHOOLING OR BOOK HAD/ I AM AM A NATIVE CALIFORNIAN OF WHITE/NATIVE ANCESTRY AND HAVE MORE APPRECIATION FOR THIS STATE BECAUSE OF HUELL. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A HUELL HOWSER DAY..."- Kevin Thomas (Sacramento, CA)